Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the US, affecting nearly 1 million Americans. Up to 82% of community dwelling individuals with PD complain of sleep disturbances, typically sleep fragmentation. Despite the high prevalence of sleep problems and their impact on the life of these individuals, there has been, until recently, little research focus on the problem. This will be a multi-site, double blind, placebo-controlled, two arm, parallel group, fixed-dose trial which will last 6 weeks. Seventy patients at four sites (30 at the PI's site and a total of 40 patients at three external sites) will be equally randomized to eszopiclone or placebo. The primary hypothesis is that eszopiclone will be superior to placebo for the treatment of insomnia in patients with Parkinson's disease

eszopiclone. Those under 65yo received 3mg of eszoplicone ( or randomized to matching placebo)and those 65yo or older received 2mg of eszoplicone ( or randomized to matching placebo)taken each night at bedtime

Drug: eszopiclone

eszopiclone

Other Name: Lunesta 2 - 3 mg q HS

Placebo Comparator: placebo

Those randomly assigned to matching placebo, took their dose each night at bedtime

Parkinson's disease by research criteria. Research criteria for PD include, (1) the presence of at least 2 of the following signs: resting tremor, cogwheel rigidity, bradykinesia, or postural reflex impairment, at least 1 of which must be either resting tremor or bradykinesia, (2) no other cause of parkinsonism, (3) no signs of more extensive neurodegeneration indicating atypical parkinsonism, and (4) a clear-cut response to levodopa or dopamine agonist.

Sleep maintenance insomnia (at least 3 of 7 nights of at least 2 awakenings nightly, or a total sleep time of < 6.5 hours) or sleep latency insomnia (at least 3 of 7 nights of sleep latency > 30 minutes), as well as clinically significant daytime distress or impairment during the 2 week self assessment prior to baseline.

Patients aged 35-85 years.

Patients must have completed at least the 9th grade and be fluent in English.

If a female of child bearing potential, the patient must be non-pregnant and either post-menopausal or using an approved birth control method. Patients must have a negative urine pregnancy test at the screen visit.

Antidepressants will be allowed if the patient has been on a stable dose for at least one month.

Benzodiazepines will be allowed if taken during the day prior to 6pm and it is not taken as a sleep aid.

Other medications with CNS activity that the patient is on at screening, e.g., dopaminergic drugs, B-blockers, etc, will be kept constant throughout the acute phase.

Significant sleep disordered breathing will be defined as an AHI > 15 events/hr of sleep and/or significant hypoxemia on screening PSG; significant PLMD will be defined as a PLM index > 25 events/hr of sleep on screening PSG; RBD will be defined based on presence of both clinical symptomatology (demonstrated injury to self or others during sleep) as well as PSG criteria (intermittent loss of REM atonia).

No significant dementia. Significant dementia is operationalized as a score of less than 26 on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).

Insomnia is not primarily due to serious depression or anxiety in the opinion of the investigator.

Any current (within three months) diagnosis of alcohol or substance abuse/dependence (with the exception of nicotine dependence).

Currently on psychotropic medications, other than antidepressants or benzodiazepines. If the patient is on other psychotropics, and can be safely removed from these medications at the time of initial screening, there will be a washout period prior to entering the study.

Sleep medication that the patient is on during screening will be tapered prior to randomization.

Any unstable medical disorder that would interfere with the study.

Patients with a known history of non-response or lack of toleration to adequate doses of zolpidem or trazodone.

Patients currently receiving CBT for insomnia.

Patients who are unable to be maintained on their current dose of PD medications throughout the trial.

-

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00324896